Novovax’s combined influenza/Covid-19 vaccine shows efficacy in an animal study

Novavax Inc said on Monday its combined flu and Covid-19 vaccine produced functional antibodies against influenza and the coronavirus in a preclinical study.

The company said the NanoFlu/NVX-CoV2373 vaccine elicited robust responses to both influenza A and B and protected against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

“Seasonal influenza and Covid-19 combination vaccines will likely be critical to combating emerging Covid-19 variants,” said Russell Wilson, the executive vice president and NanoFlu general manager of Novavax.

Hamsters that received the combined vaccine had heightened levels of Covid-19 antibodies two weeks after the first immunization, which increased significantly after a second dose, compared to animals that received the Covid-19 vaccine, NVX-CoV2373, alone, the company said.

Novavax said it expects to start clinical studies of the combined vaccine by the end of 2021.